The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-04-09
LITTLE LION-TAMERS.


ly able to walk yet, who is permitted tc
90 in among the lions, tigers, leopards
and play with them as if they we're only
ordinary pussy cats. He has not the
slightest fear of them, but pulls theil
tails and ears and pokes his little fingers
in their eyes, as babies will do, and they
never do any worse than move out of bis
way.
1t is said to be very pretty sight to
see that fair-skinned, big blue-eyed baby
comfortably seated by the side OF a huge
tiger, his little dimpled hand perhaps
pulling the tawny, striped coat Of the
monster. It may indeed be pretty
sight, but it must need strong nerves to
enable one to look at it with pleasure, for
to most persons it will seem hardly pos
sible that the fierce creature will not
turn at any moment and tear the inno-
cent little baby to pieces.
The little fellow, however, has no more
fear of any of the savage beasts in the
managerie than you would have of lap
dog; for he was born right there, and has
been among the animals all his short life
Long before he could walk he was car
ried to the cages, and allowed to pat the
tamest OF the animals, and before long
they began to show such signs Of pleas
ure at his coming that in time they be-
came fast friends, and the keepers had no
hesitation in putting the baby in the cage
with the trained leopards, and afterward
with the lions and tigers.
The leopards were trusted first because
they are usually the mildest.tempered
and most affectionate of the wild animals
Instances are known Of leopards rescuing
their keepers from other animals in the
menagerie, and very pretty story is told
of one case when. through the instru-
mentality OF cage of leopards, man
and his baby girl were saved from the at
tack Of q jaguar, one of the most untam-
able of animals. The man travelled with
the menagerie and its attached circus as
a gymnast, in the summer, but when the
animals went into winter quarters he was
retained as keeper, and lived with his
family in little cottage near by.
Scarcely day passed that he did not
take his baby daughter to see the ami
mails, and they, according to their GUS
tom, grew SO fond of her that at her COM
ing most of them would make some sign
Of pleasure. Only one, sullen brute of
a jaguar, refused to make friends, and
always fsttened down his ears and snarl-
ed when she was taken before his cage
With the leopards, on the other hand, she
was particularly friendly, and they liked
nothing better than having her put
her tiny hand through the bars to pat
and stroke them. The thought of put
ting her in the cage with even the leop-
ards had never occurred to him, however,
and it probably never would have, had
not the jaguar forced it into his mind
very suddenly one day.
He had been cleaning the cages, and
the process being an unpleasant one to
the jaguar, that ferocious beast was in
such very ugly mood that the man
thought it best not to anger him any
more by holding the baby before his
cage. Consequently he hurried past the
cross animal, and thereby failed to no.
tice that the cage fastening was so
slipped that the door might easily be
opened. He had reached the leopards,
and was holding the baby SO that she
could reach through the bars, when he
heard a light thud on the floor behind
him, and looking around, saw to his hor-
ror that the jaguar had escaped, and with
blazing eyes, slow waving tail and crouch
ed body, was stealthily moving toward
him.
His first feeling was sickening fear,
but he quickly recovered, and with the
marvellous rapidity the mind is capable of
in emergencies, sought for means of
escape. He knew he could not escape by
either door, for the 1.-the, active animal
would oyertake him before he had gone
ten PAGES.
A pulley rope, used for hosting guam
titles of meat or feed into the room,
dangled from the ceiling to the floor, and
offered him safety had he not been en-
numbered with the baby. He could not
climb the rope with her; he would not
desert her. And yet to stay there meant
death to both. The desperate chance
suggested itself to throw the baby among
the leopards, and trust to their friend
ship, while he would reach the rope, if
not then too late.
Almost as he thought it he slipped the
bolt, lifted the fastening, opened the door,
pushed the baby in, shut the door, and
then leaped for the rope. 1t was well for
him that he was gymnast and could
hand-over hand, up a rope, for he was
barely out of reach when the jaguar shot
through the air, and with its terrible
claws caught the rope just under one of
his feet.
After making several futile efforts to
reach the man, the enraged animal tried
to get into the leopards' cage, where the
baby had been welcomed, and fortunate
ly was kept in safety until help came and
the iaguar was shot, You may be sure
those leopards never lacked dainty bits
of food after that. = Harper's YOUNG
People.